Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1047665
8 maltatoday | SUNDAY • 4 NOVEMBER 2018 NEWS JAMES DEBONO THE Environment and Re- sources Authority has said no to a grandiose 3,300 sq.m villa designed by construction magnate Charles Polidano 'ic- Caqnu' with a visually striking classical design outside the development zone of Safi. Polidano has applied for a permit to build the villa on San Gwann road under the pretext that the area in ques- tion is an "infill site" between residential development on one side and a Lidl supermar- ket directly adjacent to it. The area is characterised by agri- cultural fields. The Planning Authority had controversially approved the Lidl supermarket in Safi con- structed by Polidano himself in 2007, a decision that had been then condemned by the PA's internal ombudsman, leading to the en masse resig- nation of the planning com- mission responsible for the decision. Earlier this year, the PA is- sued an enforcement order against illegal development on the same site consisting of a boundary wall, the fixing of a gate enclosing the site and the building of foundations of structures inside the same site. The application proposes the retention of the existing wall, a citrus tree orchard and a swimming pool. The devel- opment including the land- scaped area will take place over 3,329 sq.m of land. The ERA has already ob- jected to the application not- ing that the location of the site between existing develop- ments "should not be used as a pretext to gain further de- velopment permissions and expanding the range of land uses in this agricultural area". According to ERA the pro- posal will result in the en- croachment of urban devel- opment onto this particular area, which is designated by the local plan as an 'Area of Agricultural Value', where in such areas the PA only ap- proves structures essential to the needs of agriculture. The ERA also reiterated its position against any further loss of undeveloped land out- side the development zone boundary and its concern that on "numerous ad hoc propos- als for new modern residential dwelling being proposed on ODZ land". Over the past years the PA has approved a number of residential developments on ODZ sites under the pretext that these are located in in- fill sites. These included four dwellings approved in Kalkara before the 2018 general elec- tion. The Superintendence for Cultural Heritage has also called for an archaeological investigation of the site, re- calling that it had expressed concern on the archaeologi- cal sensitivity of land where the adjacent supermarket was built. "Although the site in ques- tion was not subject to archae- ological evaluation and moni- toring, there was significant concern about the archaeo- logical sensitivity of the area. Given that this supermarket site is in the immediate prox- imity to the site in question, the Superintendence recom- mends that any development on the site footprint must be subject to an archaeological investigation." Polidano's neoclassical villa gets the thumbs- down from the ERA JAMES DEBONO THE Superintendence for Cultural Heritage has expressed "grave con- cern" for an application seeking to "to regularise unauthorised and damaging works already carried out on site" of Villa St Ignatius in St Julian's. The application proposes to cart away existing debris left by previous demolition works and to "disman- tle the existing structure at ground and first floor level." Plans show that the rooms pro- posed to be demolished are in the same area of the villa targeted for demolition in illegal works last No- vember, days after the early 19th- century building had been pro- posed for scheduling. According to the cultural herit- age watchdog this will result in fur- ther demolition of Villa St Ignatius which is described as having "unde- niable architectural and historical value". Villa St Ignatius, in Scicluna Street, is part of a larger property which once housed one of the first Jesuits' College in Malta, and which was mentioned as a landmark building as early as 1839. The cultural heritage value of the property is such that the Super- intendence had on 12 December 2017 recommended the property for scheduling. The construction works were car- ried out by applicant Paul Gauci under the pretext of Dangerous Structure Order, a type of permit issued when a building is in dan- ger of collapse. But the Superin- tendence insists that the works as carried out far exceeded "both the letter and the intent" of the Danger- ous Structure Order. The Superintendence has already issued successive Conservation and Protection Orders on 7 December 2017 to stop damaging works, and on 12 January 2018 to order the re- versal of said damaging works. Rather than sanctioning the works and completing the demolition, the Superintendence is insisting on the reversal of damaging works and has asked the architect to present a re- port aimed at stabilising the struc- ture and to recover the material needed for the reconstruction of the demolished structure. In a parallel application presented in April owner Paul Gauci has also applied to create a "public square" cutting right through the remaining part of the historic building. The PA is still facing court ac- tion from Din L-Art Ħelwa over its failure to act when notified of the demolition, instead issuing a state- ment claiming that the works were in line with the court order and per- mit conditions. A court has already ruled that the demolition of a large part of the historic landmark had violated a previous court order. The Court registrar was even asked to initiate contempt of court proceedings against the PA's en- forcement chief, developer Paul Gauci and his architect Stephen Vancell. Vancell is an employee of EMDP, a company owned by Ma- riello Spiteri, who also sits on the PA's planning commission. Superintendence expresses grave concern over Villa St Ignatius